"You want to go directly against the Council."

   I nodded. "Yeah."

   "And you think there wouldn't be repercussions?" Erlan tilted his head, neon eyes boring into my face. I kept my face strictly neutral, not allowing the elf to see through me.

   "Well, honestly, if we succeed, then they can stuff it up their asses. We had the guts to do what they didn't."

   "And if we don't, we won't be alive to be punished," said Jennifer sharply.

   "Exactly." Her expression turned incredulous. 

   Zain braced her elbows on her knees, her ponytail falling over her shoulder. "Well, the way I see it, this is our only chance, right? The Council is depending on Daniella to die. Sure, they might have a plan for when that happens, but why bother risking a life? You know where Dani's base is. How hard would it be to sneak a demon in there to slit her throat?"

   "Impossible." Jennifer shook her head. "She can sense shifts in atmospheric magic. Gene's been staying in contact with me while surveying the building in New York. He got too close one time and her hackles went up."

   Gene. I'd forgotten he wasn't here. "He's in New York?"

   Caze nodded. "He's keeping tabs on their movements."

   "I forgot that you don't know," said Jennifer. "But apparently Dani had some sort of plan set for this morning. According to what Gene has texted me, it was banking on her having you accessible. When you escaped, you ruined that plan. She's livid."

   "Oh, shit." I winced. "I forgot that, too. She and Kingsley were planning on breaking Anchorage's defenses. They were going to kill the Council. Someone was being sent inside the defense to weaken it, and Dani was going to deliver the final blow."

   "How did you just forget the plan to assassinate our government?" Daniella asked, aghast.

   "Who's Kingsley?" asked Tate.

   "I think he's the seer you and Caze scented at Simone's house." My tongue caught my teeth. "He and Dani have been setting the plans. Everything . . . it's as if every time we've encountered her or her goons, it's been a plan or test. She even mentioned something about Memphis."

   "They were stalking your father," reminded Tate. "That could be it."

   My voice dropped. Something about their wording made me feel cold. The memory caused my heart to pick up. "I don't think it was."

   Caze frowned. "Kingsley is a dark seer? Were you able to determine what he's able to do? I don't think there's ever been a dark seer in magick history. We're completely in the dark about him."

   "I don't . . ." I gave a frustrated grunt. "I can barely remember any of it. I don't know enough about seers to tell. And it's like the more I try to remember the less I can recall." Something niggled at me. "The only thing I can think of is that Dani talked as if he was able to determine if plans would work ahead of time. Like he could be absolutely certain."

   Tate sat onto the bed, the fabric dipping under his weight. "That makes it sound as if he is the kind of seer that has glimpses of the future."

   Jennifer's eyebrows drew together. "If that were true, how would being dark change his ability?"

   "There's no telling," said Daniella. "Every dark magic user is different."

   The demon's eyes suddenly widened. "Wait, if he can see any glimpse of the future, then wouldn't he know our plan?" The color drained from her face. "He'd be able to know that Gene is there!"

   "How long has it been since we've heard from him?" Erlan asked.

   Jennifer checked her phone. "About an hour." Her voice thickened. "I swear to all that's holy, if Gene is hurt, I'll take them down myself." Her cheeks flushed with anger.

   "What I don't understand," said Erlan softly. "Is how Dani expected to make Anchorage's defenses fall."

   "I think someone had to do it from within the town," I said. "But that's all I can remember."

   Tate pulled something from his pocket. "Do you think it could be related to this?" In his hand sat a small bracelet made of wood. It was polished and stained, intricately crafted. I recognized the runes circling the outside within seconds. My jaw fell.

   "Those are the same runes from the door to the Council's courtroom."

   Tate nodded. "We found them on the fae and the woman at Simone's house. The fae had one at the shoe store, too. Remember? It fell off of his wrist."

   Daniella nodded. "Tate told us immediately that this was similar. We tested it -- and it amplifies power of every magick that wears it. According to what Tate has seen, we don't actually know how powerful Dani's allies are, when they're wearing this. It's as if they haven't been utilizing its power."

   "I think they have," said Tate. "The fae -- Fole, they called him -- was able to manipulate electricity, but his scent didn't mark him as a special fae. He wasn't born that way. The hybrid was able to change to a halfway-shifted form, which is practically impossible. And the white-haired woman--"

   "Karrae." I put in.

   Tate nodded. "Her movements were unnatural. Almost as if gravity had half the effect on her as it does us. One jump and she soared ten feet -- like a feather. I think these bracelets is what is aiding them. And I think it's the only thing that can take down that door."

   Jennifer's lips pursed. "That door is the network link that connects Anchorage's defenses to the Enforcers. It's a closely-held secret. If that door falls, all of Anchorage's protection falls. It amplifies the power of every person with an Enforcer emblem." Her hand tugged down her shirt, revealing a tattoo over her heart. It was a five-pointed shield with a spark etched into the center. "With it activated, the Enforcers and Dani's allies would be on even ground." She pulled her collar back up.

   "Without the door, Dani's goons are stronger," I realized. "So the moment it falls, Dani wins."

   "We have to stop her before they get to that door," said Tate solidly. "We have to protect it. Right?"

   My mind started to race. "If we can lure Dani and her goons into Anchorage, the Enforcers can take her allies. Right? As long as the door stands?"

   We all looked at Jennifer, since she seemed to know the most. She seemed to be chewing on her words. "Well . . . logically, yes. But they shouldn't be able to get into Anchorage with the door activated. It's practically sentient. Anyone with ill intentions can't make it through."

   Zain shook her head. "If it's up, then the Enforcers are strong enough to take them -- within the barrier's limits. But the moment the Enforcers leave the barrier, Dani's allies will have the upper hand. Yet they can't take down the barrier because it's their aid."

   "Is there a way to let them into the city, but keep the barrier up?" I asked. 

   "Not without damaging the door."

   "And would the Enforcers keep their amplified ability?"

   Daniella glanced at me. "Well, if they take down the correct rune, I should think so. Right? As long as the runes aren't co-dependent?"

   I saw her inquisitive look and blanched. "Hell, don't ask me. I have no idea."

   "Let me get this correct," said Erlan slowly. He lifted his hand. "You are proposing that we damage the door that is the Council's main defense to allow Dani and her team inside. With the barrier up, the Enforcers ought to be strong enough to take her team because they have the same runes as the door, amplifying their power. You want to let them into the Council's city when they're there to kill our leaders?"

   Everyone's eyes turned my way. I hadn't really considered the absurdity of it. Yet, I nodded. "No where else are we going to have an even ground against Dani's goons. They're tough. Zain, could you gather enough Enforcers to warn and prepare them for a fight? It'd be on their home turf."

   Zain nodded. "I can do that in under an hour. But it would drain me pretty good. You wouldn't see me being able to fight much."

   "Then don't take an hour. Dani can't get that barrier down unless she has me, so we can play the hiding game. Take your time to prepare them." My mind started to put the pieces together. "I think we should go in there once the Enforcers are prepared and remove the rune that keeps ill-intending magicks out -- let them in. Then we can fight them on even grounds."

   "What about the ones with dark magic?" Jennifer rose to her feet. Her gaze said that she wasn't happy, but I saw her jaw tight with determination. "We can't get even with them -- dark magic is ten times stronger than the boost the door gives."

   My mind raced. "We have to take away their sources of power, too. Like how Dani doesn't have hers." My heart picked up the pace. "Dani and Kingsley were so happy with how Dani was stronger because I was closer to the barrier. Every person with dark magic is going to have their source in the gap between the barrier and reality. I can go in there and break them loose. I can rid all of the dark magicks of their power."

   "Roxie," Tate said softly. "As helpful as that would be, you'd be amplifying Dani Darhk in that time. You'd be closer to the barrier, too."

   My teeth clenched. Damn it. He had a point. "Then we have to distract her somehow. She had to link us with a different spell to be able to use my magic. I think if I don't let her catch me again, she can't use my amplified power. Not without her extra link. I broke her last one when I got away. If we can keep her from realizing what I'm doing, then I can cut all the sources free before she realizes."

   "Then what? You can't kill her. You're life-linked," said Daniella. "You'll die at the same time she does."

   "If that's what it takes, then I don't care."

   Tate caught my forearm. I looked down at him and saw how he had paled. "You don't mean that."

   "I do." My jaw worked. "She killed Alexie. And if I don't kill her, she'll just use my magic to kill other people. She needs to die. I'm going to find a way." My voice lowered slightly. I saw the worry behind his eyes. "That's a last resort, Tate. I'm all about bending the rules. I can find another way."

   "I'm going with you."

   I pulled my gaze away from Tate to see Daniella lifting her chin. Her voice was steely. "I don't even know what gap you're talking about, but I'm coming with you."

   I couldn't help the surprise. My eyebrows lifted. "It's not as easy as it sounds. It's like you're standing in quicksand. And you can forget about being able to breathe. There's a fifth of the oxygen in there."

   "I don't care." Daniella's eyes hardened. "You said you need a distraction for Dani? I'm it."

   "No." I shook my head. "If you're coming with me, then I'm the distraction. You can take care of the sources."

   "Not a chance in hell." Her voice turned fierce. "She gets to close to you and she'll put that extra link on you. Then she can kill us all. You cannot allow her to get close to you. Not unless the original link is broken." She shook her head. "Besides, you can't break the links between the other dark magicks and sources. You have to have the ceremonial knife used to cut the source's hair. You can only take them far enough way that the dark magicks' power is diluted."

   I met her eyes head-on. Hazel -- almost orange -- clashed with dark brown. She didn't back down. In fact, she lifted her chin slightly. I gritted my teeth.

   "What if she kills you, Daniella?"

   Her jaw worked to the side. "If that's what it takes, then I don't care."

  Using my own words against me. Bitch. I glowered. "You know I hate you, right?"

   She sensed that I had relented. Her shoulders lost some of their tension. "You're not exactly a peach, either, Reilly." Her eyes told me what she actually meant. Thank you.

   Tate looked between us, bewildered. "And here I thought I was beginning to understand women."

   "Tell me about it," muttered Caze.

   "Hold on, are we being serious about this?" Erlan raised his voice. "Are we seriously planning on damaging Anchorage's door? And then letting Dani's forces in?"

   I shared a look with Tate. Jennifer finally sighed. "Yeah, I think we are. What other choice do we have?" Her hand rested on her sword hilt. "We have to take on Dani on our own turf. Otherwise, we're dead because of those bracelets." Her eyes turned toward me and Tate, solid. "And Zain?"

   Zain perked up. "Yes?"

  Jennifer's eyes crinkled with a wicked smile. "Get this man an Enforcer emblem."

   Tate's eyes opened in shock. His mouth fell open. "Jennifer, I haven't finished my training--"

   Her eyebrow arched, daring him. I watched, amused, as he fumbled slightly. "You don't even have the authority, only Captain Lugo can authorize my emblem--"

   "Too bad. I'm an Enforcer Informant, dammit. If I can't do anything else, then I'm doing this." 

   His eyes darted to me for help. I couldn't help the smile. "What are you looking at me for? You've been waiting for this for two years."

   "But--"

   "Congratulations, Tate," said Jennifer stoically. "Zain, get him out of here before he can protest anymore."

  "With pleasure." Tate's mouth opened to protest, but there was a blast of wind. Zain and Tate vanished. I felt the cold from where his body had been seconds ago. I didn't necessarily like it. Jennifer exhaled. She sunk back into the couch. "Okay, Roxie, so what's first?"

   I looked at her, confused, until I realized what she meant. I'd totally uprooted their plan. In essence, I'd taken over as the leader. Crap. They were expecting a plan from me. "Well, as soon as Zain gets back, I think she and either you or Gene need to go to Anchorage. Warn the Enforcers and get them ready to fight. And get the Council to a secure location."

   "What about us?" Caze gestured at himself and Erlan. "How do we fit in?"

   I thought about it. "Well, would you rather test the limits of that bracelet or track down some of Dani's goons?"

   They shared a look. "I think we can do both."

   "Then go ahead."

   "What about me?" Daniella asked. She watched me expectantly. 

   I smiled weakly. "Well, you can start off by telling me how long the magic-blocking spell lasts."